State senators in Louisiana have voted to block a veto override session, according to data released by the Senate early Friday. The session would have looked at line-item cuts and bills vetoed by Gov. Bobby Jindal after the 2013 legislative session.

A majority of both chambers was needed to trigger the veto override session. Of the 39 senators, 26 mailed in their ballots, an indication they were opposed to the session. Only 38 of the 105 representatives agreed with their colleagues in the upper chamber and voted against the session.

In late June, Jindal line-item vetoed a $4 million expansion to the New Opportunity Waiver, or NOW, program,
which provides in-home services for people with developmental
disabilities. The additional funds would have made 200 more people eligible for the waivers. Currently, more than 10,000 Louisianians are
on a 10-year waiting list.

Additional line-item vetoes included nearly $800,000
to Children's Special Health Clinics and nearly $1 million to the
Individual and Family Support Program, which provides help with at-home
care for children with developmental disabilities.

Reached for comment Friday morning, Bambi Polotzola of the disability advocacy group Override the Veto, said she was disappointed with the outcome but added her group would continue to push for increased funding.

"We as advocates will continue to seek ways to be able to get funding for these necessary services," she said, adding, "a very strong grassroots advocacy network has been born."

Edwards said Friday he was unsurprised by the outcome. In the four decades since the current state constitution was enacted, lawmakers have never come together to vote in favor of such a session. The leadership of both chambers also came out early against the move, hindering the possibility of reconvening.

"That was the most likely outcome from the beginning, but I am disappointed because it appears we have too many legislators still deferring to the governor," Edwards said.

But he added the overwhelming support for the move among his colleagues was "encouraging," noting, "that means that there was a broad consensus in the House to side with the people over the governor and that certainly bodes well for the future."

Earlier this week, Health and Hospitals Secretary Kathy Kliebert indicated the department intended to shift the distribution of the NOW waiting list from first-come, first served to needs-based. Edwards said the move was a reaction to the outcry from disability advocates and that even if the list was improved, increased funding was still necessary.

He said he hopes lawmakers can come together with the advocacy community to work on how to increase funding to programs for the disabled ahead of next year's legislative session.